PREPARATIONS OF FOOD FOR INVALIDS.
General Observations—To make Gruel—Caudle—Arrow-Root—Tapioca—Sago—Sago Milk—Ground Rice Milk—Milk Restorative—Suet—Asses’ Milk—Barley—Baked—Calves’ Feet—Isinglass—Jellies—Panadas—Sippets—Broths—Eggs—Stews—Puddings—Bread—Luncheon—Wheys—Butter milk—Drinks.
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.—In the “Introductory, or the Philosophy of Cookery”—(see page vii.)—will be found many interesting facts respecting the properties and effects of different kinds of food on the human constitution. From the philosophy thus set forth, rules of diet may be formed which will, undoubtedly, be of much advantage in preserving health. But still people will, at times, be sick and, for these, particular care in preparing food is necessary. Many receipts, suitable for invalids, are scattered through this volume, but we have here brought together such as are more particularly intended for the sick. These preparations, requiring great nicety and exactness, should rarely be left to a domestic.
One of the loveliest accomplishments of a lady is to understand how to make the invalid in her family comfortable. Food prepared by the kind hand of a wife, mother, sister, friend, has a sweeter relish than the mere ingredients can give, and a restorative power which money cannot purchase. These receipts will enable the watchful attendant to vary the food, as choice or symptoms may render expedient. Jellies and meat broths, together with the various kinds of farinaceous food, are the lightest on the stomach, as well as, generally, the most nutritious for an invalid. Milk preparations are useful when the lungs are weak. Food that the stomach can digest without distressing the patient, is the kind that gives actual strength.
To make Gruel.—Mix a dessert spoonful of fine oatmeal or patent groats, in 2 of cold water, add a pint of boiling water, and boil it 10 minutes, keeping it stirred.
Or, boil a quarter of a pint of groats in a quart of water for about 2 hours; and strain through a sieve.
Stir into the gruel a small piece of butter, and some sugar, nutmeg, or ginger, grated: or, if it be not sweetened, add a small pinch of salt.
Indian Meal Gruel.—Sift the Indian meal through a fine sieve; wet 2 spoonsful of this meal with cold water, and beat it till there are no lumps; then stir it into a pint and a half of boiling water, and let it boil half an hour, stirring it all the time. Season it as liked best.
Barley Gruel.—Wash 4 ozs. of pearl-barley; boil it in 2 quarts of water with a stick of cinnamon, till reduced to a quart; strain and return it into the sauce-pan with sugar and three-fourths of a pint of port wine; or, the same quantity of milk. Heat up, and use as wanted.
The Etna.—This useful little machine is almost indispensable in a sick room. It enables you to have a pint of water boiled in a few minutes by means of a small quantity of spirits of wine burnt in the saucer under the cup. A little measure is sold with it by which the quantity required can be regulated according to whether the fluid to be heated is required to be boiled or not.
Flour Caudle.—Mix, smoothly, a table-spoonful of flour with a gill of water; set on the fire in a sauce-pan a gill of new milk, sweeten it, and, when it boils, add the flour and water; simmer and stir them together for a quarter of an hour.
White Caudle.—Make the gruel as above, strain through a sieve, and stir it till cold. When to be used, sweeten it to taste, grate in some nutmeg, and add a little white wine: a little lemon-peel, or juice, is sometimes added.
The yolk of an egg, well beaten, may likewise be stirred in when the gruel is boiling.
Rice Caudle.—This may be made with water or milk; when it boils, add some ground rice, previously mixed smoothly with a little cold water; boil till thick enough, when sweeten it, and grate in nutmeg, or add a little powdered cinnamon.
Arrow-root.—It is very necessary to be careful not to get the counterfeit sort; if genuine, it is very nourishing, especially for persons with weak bowels. Put into a sauce-pan half a pint of water, a glass of sherry or a spoonful of brandy, grated nutmeg, and fine sugar; boil up once, then mix it by degrees into a dessert-spoonful of arrow-root, previously rubbed smooth with 2 spoonfuls of cold water.
Or:—Mix a dessert-spoonful of arrow-root with a little cold water, have ready boiling water in a kettle, pour it upon the arrow-root until it becomes quite clear, keeping it stirred all the time; add a little sugar. Where milk may be taken, it is very delicious made in the same way with milk instead of water, a dessert-spoonful of arrow-root, and half a pint of milk; add a small bit of lemon-peel.
Tapioca.—Choose the largest sort, pour cold water on to wash it 2 or 3 times; then soak it in fresh water 5 or 6 hours, and simmer it in the same until it becomes quite clear; then put lemon-juice, wine, and sugar. The peel should have been boiled in it. It thickens very much.
Sago.—Cleanse it by first soaking it an hour in cold waters, and then washing it in fresh water. To a tea-cupful add a quart of water and a bit of lemon peel, simmer it till the berries are clear, season it with wine and spice, and boil it all up together. The sago may be boiled with milk instead of water, till reduced to one-half, and served without seasoning.
Sago Milk.—Cleanse as above, and boil it slowly, and wholly with new milk. It swells so much, that a small quantity will be sufficient for a quart, and when done it will be diminished to about a pint. It requires no sugar or flavoring.
Ground Rice Milk.—Boil 1 spoonful of ground rice, rubbed down smooth, with 1½ pint of milk, a bit of cinnamon, lemon peel and nutmeg. Sweeten when nearly done.
Restorative Milk.—Boil a quarter of an ounce of isinglass in a pint of new milk till reduced to half, and sweeten.
Suet Milk.—Cut one ounce of mutton or veal suet into shavings, and warm it slowly over the fire in a pint of milk, adding a little grated lemon-peel, cinnamon and loaf-sugar.
Imitation of Asses’ Milk.—Boil together equal quantities of new milk and water, add 1 ounce of candied eringo-root: sweeten with white sugar-candy, and strain.
Or: Stir into a gill each of milk and boiling water a well-beaten egg, and sweeten with white sugar-candy.
Barley Milk.—Boil half a pound of washed pearl barley in 1 quart of milk and half a pint of water, and sweeten: boil it again, and drink it when almost cold.
Baked Milk—Is much recommended for consumptions. The milk should be put into a moderately-warm oven, and be left in it all night.
Calves’ Feet and Milk.—Put into a jar 2 calves’ feet with a little lemon-peel, cinnamon, or mace, and equal quantities of milk and water to cover them; tie over closely, and set in a slack oven for about 3 hours: when cold, take off the fat; and sweeten and warm as required.
Sheep’s Trotters.—Simmer 6 sheep’s trotters, 2 blades of mace, a little cinnamon, lemon-peel, a few hartshorn shavings, and a little isinglass, in 2 quarts of water, to 1; when cold take off the fat, and give nearly half a pint twice a-day warming with it a little new milk.
Isinglass.—Boil 1 oz. of isinglass shavings, 40 Jamaica peppers, and a bit of brown crust of bread, in a quart of water, to a pint, and strain it.
This makes a pleasant jelly to keep in the house; of which a large spoonful may be taken in wine and water, milk, tea, soup, or any way most agreeable.
Gloucester Jelly.—Boil in 2 quarts of water, till reduced to 1 quart, the following ingredients: hartshorn shavings, isinglass, ivory shavings, barley and rice, one ounce of each.
When this jelly, which is light and very nourishing, is to be taken, a few table-spoonsful of it must be dissolved in a little milk, together with a bit of cinnamon, lemon peel, and sugar. It will be very good without the seasoning.
Bread Jelly.—Cut the crumb of a penny roll into thin slices, and toast them equally of a pale brown; boil them gently in a quart of water till it will jelly, which may be known by putting a little in a spoon to cool; strain it upon a bit of lemon peel, and sweeten it with sugar. A little wine may be added.
Rice Jelly.—Boil half a pound of Carolina rice, and a small piece of cinnamon, in two quarts of water for one hour; pass it through a sieve, and when cold it will be a firm jelly, which, when warmed in milk and sweetened, will be very nutritious; add 1 pint of milk to the rice, in the sieve, boil it for a short time, stirring it constantly, strain it, and it will resemble thick milk, if eaten warm.
Strengthening Jelly.—Simmer in 2 quarts of soft water, 1 ounce of pearl barley, 1 ounce of sago, 1 ounce of rice, and 1 ounce of eringo-root, till reduced to 1 quart; take a tea-cupful in milk, morning, noon, and night.
Hemp-seed Jelly.—Bruise hemp-seeds, boil them in water, and strain; afterwards, simmer the liquor until it is of the thickness of gruel.
Tapioca Jelly.—Wash the tapioca, soak it for 3 hours in cold water, in which simmer it till dissolved, with a piece of thin lemon peel; then sweeten, add white or red wine, and take out the peel before using.
To make Panada in five minutes.—Set a little water on the fire with a glass of white wine, some sugar, and a scrape of nutmeg and lemon peel: meanwhile grate some crumbs of bread. The moment the mixture boils up, keeping it still on the fire, put the crumbs in, and let it boil as fast as it can. When of a proper thickness just to drink, take it off.
Or:—Put to the water a bit of lemon peel, mix the crumbs in, and, when nearly boiled enough, put some lemon or orange syrup, Observe to boil all the ingredients, for, if any be added after, the panada will break and not jelly.
Chicken Panada.—Boil a chicken till about three parts ready in a quart of water; take off the skin, cut the white meat off when cold, and put into a marble mortar: pound it to a paste with a little of the water it was boiled in, season with salt, a grate of nutmeg, and the least bit of lemon peel. Boil gently for a few minutes to the consistency you like; it should be such as you can drink, though tolerably thick.
This conveys great nourishment in a small compass.
Sippets—When the stomach will not receive meat, are very nutritious, and prepared in this simple manner:—
On an extremely hot plate put 2 or 3 sippets (small square pieces) of bread, and pour over them some gravy, from beef, mutton, or veal, with which no butter has been mixed. Sprinkle a little salt over.
Broths, of Beef, Mutton and Veal.—Put 2 lbs. of lean beef, 1 lb. of scrag of veal, 1 lb. of scrag of mutton, sweet herbs, and 10 peppercorns, into a nice tin sauce-pan, with 5 quarts of water; simmer to 3 quarts, and clear off the fat when cold. Add 1 onion, if approved.
Soup or broth made of different meats is more supporting as well as better flavored.
To remove the fat, take it off when cold as clean as possible; and if there be still any remaining, lay a bit of clean blotting-paper on the broth when in the basin, and it will take up every particle. Or, if the broth is wanted before there is time to let it get cold, put a piece of cork up the narrow end of a funnel, pour the broth into it, let it stand for a few minutes, and the fat will rise to the top remove the cork, and draw off in a basin as much of the broth as is wanted, which will be perfectly free from fat.
For a quick-made Broth.—Take a bone or two of a neck or loin of mutton, take off the fat and skin, set it on the fire in a small tin sauce-pan that has a cover, with three-fourths of a pint of water, the meat being first beaten and cut in thin bits; put a bit of thyme and parsley, and, if approved, a slice of onion. Let it boil very quickly; skim it; take off the cover if likely to be too weak, else cover it. Half an hour is sufficient for the whole process.
Calf’s Feet Broth.—Boil 2 calf’s feet, 2 ozs. of veal, and 2 of beef, the bottom of a penny loaf, 2 or 3 blades of mace, half a nutmeg sliced, and a little salt, in 3 quarts of water, to 3 pints; strain, and take off the fat.
Chicken Broth—May be made of any young fowl which is afterwards to be brought to table; but the best sort is to be procured from an old cock or hen, which is to be stewed down to rags, with a couple of onions, seasoned with salt and a little whole pepper; skim and strain it.
A Weaker kind.—After taking off the skin and rump, put the body and legs of a fowl, from the white meat of which chicken panada has been made, into the water it was boiled in, with 1 blade of mace, 1 slice of onion, and 10 white pepper corns. Simmer till the broth be of a pleasant flavor.
Beef Tea.—Cut half a pound of lean fresh beef into slices, lay it in a dish and pour over it a pint of boiling water; cover the dish and let it stand half an hour by the fire, then just bail it up, pour it off clear, and salt it a very little.
Veal Tea is made in the same way, and Chicken Tea also.
To Drink Cold.—Take 1 lb. of lean beef, clear it from every particle of skin, fat, or sinew, rasp or divide it into very small pieces; then put it into a jar, and pour a quart of boiling water upon it; plunge the jar into a kettle of boiling water, let it stand by the side of the fire, but not near enough to simmer, and allow it to grow cold. Then strain the beef tea through a muslin sieve, and, if the patient be very delicate, filter it through blotting-paper.
This tea is to be taken when cold, and will remain upon the stomach when other nourishment fails; it may be given to infants.
Eggs.—An egg broken into a cup of tea or beaten and mixed with a basin of milk, makes a breakfast more supporting than tea alone.
An egg divided, and the yolk and white beaten separately, with a little wine put to each, will afford 2 very wholesome draughts, and prove lighter than when taken together.
Eggs very little boiled, or poached, taken in small quantity, convey much nourishment; the yolk only, when dressed, should be eaten by invalids.
Stew for Persons in Weak Health.—Cut veal into slices, and put them into an earthen jar, with sliced turnips, and a little salt; cover closely, set the jar up to the neck in boiling water, and stew till the meat is tender.
To Stew Partridges for the Sick.—Half stew 1 or 2 partridges; cut them up; take out some of the largest bones; put them in a chafing-dish, with the liquor they were shewed in, with a little salt, mace, and lemon-zest; when cooked send it in the same dish to table.
All sorts of poultry and game are delicate in this way of dressing, and most nutritive and proper for patients that require nourishment.
Puddings for Invalids.—Whatever farinaceous substance is selected for a pudding should be boiled quite tender in milk, and of a good thickness, so that the eggs may just set it and give it firmness enough to stand without breaking, when turned out of the mould. These puddings for invalids cannot be made too delicate: they should be well steamed for about an hour, or a quarter more, according to the size; and whether the pudding be steamed or baked, it should never be taken form the stew-pan or oven until within 2 or 3 minutes before it is sent to table.
Brown Bread—Is recommended to invalids for its containing bran, which possesses a resinous, purgative property; but its efficacy is generally counteracted by the bread being made too fine.
Obs.—Fresh bread should never be given to invalids.
Wine Whey.—Set on the fire, in a sauce-pan, a pint of milk; when it boils, pour in as much white wine, foreign or home-made, as will turn it and make it clear; boil it up and set it aside till the curd has settled, when pour off the whey add half as much boiling water, and sweeten it.
Plain Whey.—Put into boiling milk as much alum, cider lemon-juice, or vinegar, as will turn it, and make it clear; then pour it off, add some hot water, and sweeten.
Tamarind Whey.—Boil 2 ounces of tamarinds in 2 pints of milk, and strain: this is an excellent drink in fevers.
Irish or Two Milk Whey.—One third of fresh butter-milk is allowed to two-thirds of sweet-milk; put the milk into a sauce-pan, and make it boiling hot, and then pour in the butter-milk, and gently stir it round the edges of the pan; let it come to a boil, take it off the fire, let it settle, and strain off the whey.
Sour milk may be substituted for butter-milk. An excellent drink in fever.
Vinegar and Lemon Whey.—Pour into boiling milk as much vinegar or lemon-juice as will make a small quantity quite clear, dilute with hot water to an agreeable acid, add a bit on two of sugar. This is less heating than if made of wine, and, if only to excite prespiration, answers as well.
Luncheon for an Invalid.—Put bread crumbs and red currant, or any other jelly, alternately into a tumbler, and when nearly half full, fill it up with milk.
Butter-milk; Good for Consumptive Patients.—Take the milk from the cow into a small churn; in about 10 minutes begin churning, and continue till the flakes of butter swim about pretty thick, and the milk is discharged of all the greasy particles, and appears thin and blue. Strain it through a sieve, and drink it frequently.
It should form the whole of the patient’s drink; the food should be biscuits and rusks, ripe and dried fruits of various kinds, when a decline is apprehended.
Baked and Dried Fruits—Raisins in particular, make excel lent suppers for invalids, with biscuits or common cake.
Butter-milk—Although generally preferred when made from sweet cream, is liked better by some when sour, and is considered more wholesome in that state, as being lighter on the stomach.
DRINKS.
A soft and fine draught for those who are weak and have a cough may be made thus:—Beat a fresh-laid egg, and mix it with one-fourth of a pint of new milk warmed, a large spoonful of syrup, or loaf sugar, the same of rose-water, and a little nutmeg scraped. Do not warm it after the egg is put in. Take it the first and last thing.
A very agreeable draught is made by putting into a tumbler of fresh cold water a table-spoonful of syrup from preserves, and the same of good vinegar.
Tamarinds, currants, fresh or in jelly, or scalded currants or cranberries, make excellent drinks, with a little sugar or not, as may be agreeable.
A Refreshing Drink in a Fever.—Put a little tea-sage, 2 sprigs of balm, and a little wood-sorrel, into a stone jug, having first washed and dried them; peel thin a small lemon, and clear from the white; slice it, and put a bit of the peel in; then pour in 3 pints of boiling water, sweeten and cover it close.
Perhaps no drink, however, is more refreshing in such a case than weak green tea, into which lemon juice is infused instead of milk. It may be drunk either cold or hot but the latter is the best mode.
Toast and Water.—Toast slowly a thin piece of bread till extremely brown and hard but not the least black; then plunge it into a jug of cold water, and cover it over an hour before used. This is of particular use in weak bowels. It should be of a fine brown color.
Barley Water.—1 oz. of pearl barley, half an ounce of white sugar, and the rind of a lemon, put into a jug. Pour upon it 1 quart of boiling water, and let it stand for 8 or 10 hours; then strain off the liquor, adding a slice of lemon, if desirable. This infusion makes a most delicious and nutritious beverage, and will be grateful to persons who cannot drink the horrid decoction usually given. It is an admirable basis for lemonade, negus, or weak punch, a glass of rum being the proportion for a quart.
Barley Water with Honey.—Add the juice and rind of 1 lemon to 1 table-spoonful of honey and 2 tea-cupsful of barley; put it into a jug, and pour a quart of boiling water upon it.
Barley Water with Isinglass.—A table-spoonful of pearl-barley, 6 lumps of loaf-sugar, half a lemon, and enough isinglass to clear it. Pour 2 quarts of boiling spring water on these ingredients, and let it stand until cold.
Soda Water.—Dissolve 6 drachms of dried carbonate of soda in a quart bottle of water, and 4½ drachms of tartaric acid in another bottle of the same size; pour out a wineglassful from each bottle, and throw them at the same time into a tumbler, when it will immediately effervesce; it should be drunk in this state. This is a good soda water and very cheap. If 10 drops of the muriated tincture of iron be previously put into the tumbler a most excellent and agreeable tonic mineral water is produced, which strengthens the tone of the digestive organs in a very remarkable degree.
Cream of Tartar—When to be taken, either medicinally or as a cooling-drink, may be mixed in the proportion of a heaped tea-spoonful to a pint of water, which has, when hot, been poured upon the thin peel of half a lemon, and allowed to stand till quite cold. Sweeten with honey or sugar.
Apple Water.—Cut 3 or 4 large apples into slices, put them into a jug, and pour a quart of boiling water over them; cover the jug. When quite cold, strain and sweeten it, and add a little lemon juice.
A Refreshing Drink for the Sick.—Boil 2 ozs. of hartshorn shavings in 1 quart of water; when quite dissolved set it aside to settle, and before it is cold strain it upon half a lemon sliced thin, with sugar to taste; cover it, and let it remain till cold, mixing with it a glass of Moselle or French wine.
Cooling Drink.—A palatable and cooling drink may be made by pouring hot water over slices of lemon; when cold, to be strained and sweetened.
Balm, Mint, and other Teas.—These are simple infusions, the strength of which can only be regulated by the taste. They are made by putting either the fresh or the dried plants into boiling water in a covered vessel, which should be placed near the fire for an hour. The young shoots both of balm and of mint are to be preferred, on account of their strong aromatic qualities. These infusions may be drunk freely in feverish and in various other complaints, in which diluents are recommended. Mint tea, made with the fresh leaves, is useful in allaying nausea and vomiting.
Wholesome Beverage.—Boil a pint of sweet milk, add a tea-spoonful of curry powder and sugar to your taste. Drunk warm, it will be found a grateful beverage for those of weak bowels, who may require to go abroad on cold mornings before breakfast.
Cold Water and Ice.—A feverish habit in children, indeed real fevers, may be cured by keeping them clean, with fresh air around them, and plenty of cold water to drink, or ice to hold in the mouth. Break ice in small pieces, and let the child or fever patient have it constantly by them. Ice thus taken, will cure canker in the mouth, putrid sore throat and sickness of the stomach. Try it.